Former Blue Jays Cy Young award winner Robbie Ray has high praise for Alek Manoah
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Former Toronto Blue Jays Cy Young award winner Robbie Ray spoke to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi about Alek Manoah at the 2025 MLB All-Star game.
Robbie Ray says Alek Manoah «is like a little brother to me,» and as the Blue Jays right-hander has been working his way back from reconstructive elbow surgery, the now-San Francisco Giants lefty has been sharing his own experiences with the Tommy John procedure.
Though the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner with the Blue Jays returned last season, it's only this year he's started to feel like himself again, earning his second career all-star nod after posting a 2.65 ERA in 119 innings with 128 strikeouts over 20 starts.
«He's a good kid and he's got a good head on his shoulders,» Ray said of Manoah. «Just trying to talk him through the process and the recovery, understanding that it takes time to get the feel back, takes time to really feel normal again.»
Manoah's first rehab outing post-surgery came in a Florida Complex League game Monday, when he allowed four runs, three earned, on a hit, two walks and a hit batter with one strikeout in a third of an inning.
Ray remembers the similar feeling of being erratic on July 24, 2024, in his return to the majors.
«I felt great coming back and it's just, some days, you're going to go out there and you're not going to have a clue where the ball is going, even though you feel great, even though the ball's coming out great,» said Ray. «My first game back, I was pitching at Dodger Stadium, first inning, I hit two guys, walk two guys, walked a run in, but then didn't give up a hit for the rest of the game (five innings, eight strikeouts). I was hitting guys with front sliders and it was like, What's going on? You feel like everything is good because you feel healthy. That timing, that takes time to get back.»
After a normal off-season and a proper spring training this year, he said now «is as close as I would say that I've been to feeling like I did in that 2021 season.»
Were all looking forward to Alek Manoah's return, especially his big brother Robbie Ray.
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